Brazil recommends sex to prevent hypertension

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Last Updated: Tue, Apr 27, 2010 01:10 hrs

Brazilian Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao Monday recommended that Brazilians have sex up to five times a week as a way to prevent chronic health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular trouble.

'Dance, have sex, keep a stable weight, do physical exercise, and above all measure your blood pressure,' Gomes Temporao said in Brasilia, as he launched a hypertension prevention campaign.

According to Brazilian authorities, the problem of high blood pressure is growing among Brazilians. A study by the Health Ministry that conducted telephone interviews of 54,000 people, showed the proportion of Brazilians who say their blood pressure is 140/90 or above rose from 21.5 percent in 2006 to 24.4 percent now.

At a press conference, Gomes Temporao called upon Brazilians to eat more fruit, vegetables and legumes and to get exercise, including sex.

'It's not a joke, I'm serious. Getting physical exercise regularly also means having sex, obviously protected sex,' the minister said, while safeguarding the ministry's insistence on safe sex to prevent the spread of HIV.